All-Pro QB Was Facing Fine for Unsportsmanlike Conduct from Dolphins Game

Heading into a Week 4 matchup with the New Orleans Saints, there isn’t much not going the Buffalo Bills’ way.

The team is undefeated and sitting atop the AFC East with the No. 1-ranked offense and No. 9-ranked defense in the NFL.

But there was one thing seemingly hanging over the head of quarterback Josh Allen — would he be punished by the league for his finger-gun celebration during Buffalo’s 31-21 Week 3 win over the Miami Dolphins on “Thursday Night Football?”

During that game, Allen was sacked by Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who was ultimately flagged for unnecessary roughness. After the penalty, Allen proceeded to make what appeared to be a gun gesture with his fingers toward Brooks, which is an explicit violation of NFL rules.

The league has made a conscious effort to cut down on taunting plus celebrations it considers “violent or containing sexually suggestive gestures.” Making a gun gesture, feigning shooting bow-and-arrow, and making a throat-slashing gesture are all instances the NFL has fined players for recently.

But when the NFL released its list of fines on Saturday for the previous week, Allen wasn’t among the 20 players listed who were hit with varying fines.

The reigning MVP not getting fined came as a surprise to some considering the rule change the NFL made over the summer that explicitly singled out gun-gesture celebrations.

“Unsportsmanlike gestures like simulating or either shooting a gun or brandishing a gun, or inappropriate gestures like a throat slash, or unfortunate sexual gestures, those were up 133% so that is a point of emphasis,” NFL officiating rules analyst Walt Anderson said last month, via NFL.com.

“The officials have made it a point of emphasis to the clubs. It's just one of those areas that the league wants to work actively on. There are plenty of ways for players to be able to celebrate, and they come up with some very unique and often entertaining ways so we want them to focus on those and not the inappropriate areas.”

While Allen was fortunate to make it to Week 4 without having to bust open his wallet, two Dolphins players weren’t as fortunate. Offensive lineman Aaron Brewer was hit with a $17,389 fine for unnecessary roughness (blindside block), while running back Ollie Gordon was hit with a $5,045 fine for unnecessary roughness (use of the helmet).